Washington, D.C. -- Rep. Neil Abercrombie issued the following statement in observance of Veteran's Day, November 11, 2008:

"Eghty-seven years ago, the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month was set aside to commemorate the armistice that brought World War I to a close.  Later, November 11th became Veteran’s Day, to honor all the men and women who have served our nation in uniform.  Since the end of the 'War to End All Wars', Americans have fought in World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf War, Afghanistan and Iraq, and faced danger in a dozen other places around the world.

"The country’s promise to our military veterans has always been that, in return for their sacrifice, we would care for their needs when they returned home.  Shamefully, that promise has not been kept.  In recent years, the VA Healthcare System became understaffed and overburdened.  Veterans commonly waited for months to see a doctor. And veterans’ education benefits eroded as the cost of a college education soared year after year.

"Finally, in these last two years under Democratic leadership, Congress began to keep the promise.  I was proud to cosponsor a new GI Bill for education, which passed overwhelmingly in the House and Senate, was signed by the President, and now can truly help today’s veterans gain a college degree and become full partners in America’s promise, much as their parents and grandparents were able to do after WWII, Korea and Vietnam.

"We enacted the largest increase in funding for veterans’ health care in the nation’s history. But with 333,275 veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan this year alone, and for the estimated 300,000 troops who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan who suffer from mental health problems and Traumatic Brain Injury, how could we do any less?

"And, to improve the care for those still in uniform, we passed the Wounded Warriors Assistance Act to improve the gaps and deficiencies in the military medical system.

"These actions are significant, but they don’t meet our obligation to our veterans.  As long as the country continues to send young American men and women off to war, our obligation to them will continue and grow.  As the voice for more 117,000 veterans in Hawaii— 63,000 in the First Congressional District alone — I’ll continue working to meet that obligation. 

"On November 11th, we celebrate Veteran’s Day.  But for many of us, every day is Veteran’s Day."

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